The Denver Broncos will have to wait a round to see who their first playoff opponent is after securing the lone first-round bye in the conference in Week 18. Safety Talanoa Hufanga, who signed with Denver this past offseason, has a message to the Broncos’ locker room. With his former team, Hufanga made the playoffs four times. He’s been the top seed in the conference before as well.
Broncos Looking for First Playoff Win Since 2015–2016 Season
Hufanga said, “To be honest, never take this opportunity for granted. Truly. As a player that has been in this league, I’ve had teammates that have told me they didn’t get to their first playoff until like Year 10. Playoffs are not easy. I’m very fortunate to be a part of the playoffs four of my five years in the NFL. To be a No. 1 seed twice has been huge. For me, we have to go out there and try to find a way to figure it out and finish because we want the ultimate goal.”
The Broncos’ offense is No. 15 in PFSN’s NFL Offense Impact Metric, while the defense is first in PFSN’s NFL Defense Impact Metric. By default, the Broncos will advance further than last season because of a first-round bye. That said, Denver hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2015-2016 Super Bowl-winning season.
Hufanga urges the Broncos not to take the task lightly. Because quarterback Bo Nix is on a rookie contract, Denver’s Super Bowl window is wide open. The next two seasons specifically are the best chances for the Broncos because Nix can’t negotiate an extension until after his third season during the 2026-2027 season.
Hufanga is just one piece the Broncos brought in this past offseason. Tight end Evan Engram and inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw, most notably, were brought in as well.
Elsewhere, the Broncos’ rise runs parallel with Denver’s drafting of EDGE (3-4 OLB) Nik Bonitto. The Broncos lost 12 games in Bonitto’s rookie season, then improved to a single-digit loss season in 2023. In 2024, Denver made the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-2016 season but lost to the Buffalo Bills. Now, the Broncos are first in the AFC Conference and are waiting to see who their first playoff opponent will be.
